Synopses & Reviews
Ives' life (1874-1955) spanned two centuries; he grew up in the nineteenth and composed chiefly in the twentieth. His nostalgia for a simpler life in the New England town of his youth is revealed in his frequent musical quotation of songs of that earlier time: parlor and patriotic songs, hymns and gospel music that he learned from his father, a village bandmaster, and the most important influence on his life and music. This book clarifies the complexity of the man and his music--music that is uniquely autobiographical and that itself illuminates the narrative.
Review
"The latest in the Musical Lives series from Cambridge University Press, The Life of Charles Ives by Stuart Feder weaves concise biography with musical discussions and photographs. A handy overview and reference." -- Chamber Music, Apr. 2000
Synopsis
A biography of the great American composer, Charles Ives (1874-1955).
Table of Contents
1. White city, green hills; 2. American arcady; 3. Memory and the greatest war; 4. Born in America; 5. The gilded age was the golden age; 6. Bright college years and dismal; 7. Manhood at Yale and beyond; 8. Giving up music - taking up business; 9. Ives in love; 10. The creative decade; 11. Trilogy; 12. World and cosmos; 13. Shadow and sunrise.